Citra’s User Directory

Citra stores all of its important files such as settings, save data, system files, and game data inside something called the User Directory.This folder is created automatically and is essential for Citra to work properly.

You can open it instantly inside Citra by selecting: File → Open Citra Folder. Depending on your operating system, the User Directory is located in different paths

User Directory Locations

Windows

C:/Users/<Your-User-Name>/AppData/Roaming/Citra/

Note: The AppData folder is hidden by default.

macOS

~/Library/Application Support/Citra/

Older macOS versions used Linux-style paths, but Citra still supports them for compatibility.

Linux

Check your data directory: echo $XDG_DATA_HOME
If empty, Citra will use: ~/.local/share/citra-emu/
And for config files: ~/.config/citra-emu/

Flatpak version (Linux)

~/.var/app/org.citra_emu.citra/data/citra-emu
~/.var/app/org.citra_emu.citra/config

Portable Mode (All systems)

If a user folder exists in the same directory as the Citra executable,Citra will use that folder instead.This is known as portable mode.

What’s Inside the User Directory?

The User Directory contains several important subfolders:

user
├── config
├── nand
│   ├── 00000000000000000000000000000000 (optional)
│   └── data
│       ├── sysdata
│       └── extdata
├── sdmc
│   └── Nintendo 3DS
│       ├── 00000000000000000000000000000000
│       │   └── 00000000000000000000000000000000
│       │       ├── title
│       │       └── extdata
│       └── Private
└── sysdata (optional)
    ├── aes_keys.txt (optional)
    └── seeddb.bin (optional)

Below is a simple explanation of what each folder does.

How to Dump Files from a 3DS

This guide explains how to copy different files from your 3DS to use with Citra. These files aren’t always needed for Citra to run games, but they might be required for certain games to work properly or to get past specific parts of a game.

To dump files from your 3DS, you’ll need an SD card reader or a way to transfer files wirelessly from your 3DS to your computer. You also need to have Homebrew Launcher installed on your 3DS. For more advanced users, custom firmware and Decrypt9WIP should also be installed on the 3DS.

If you find the guide too detailed, check out these tutorials for step-by-step instructions to get the extra files you may need for a better Citra experience.

Config

This folder contains your Citra configuration files:

  • Control mappings
  • Graphics/audio settings
  • Region settings
  • System type (Old/New 3DS)
  • Virtual SD card settings

These files are editable, but beginners should avoid manual editing.If something breaks, delete the folder and Citra will create a fresh one on launch.

Citra’s Log File

This folder contains: citra_log.txt

The log resets every time Citra starts.It is useful for debugging crashes or reporting issues.

nand: Emulated System NAND

This folder represents the internal memory of a 3DS. It contains:

  • System save data
  • Extra data
  • (Optionally) system archives from your real 3DS

Citra does not exactly match a real 3DS NAND, but it works the same for the emulator.

data Folder

Inside nand/data is the emulated 3DS user ID folder: 00000000000000000000000000000000

A real 3DS uses a unique 32-character hex name. This matters only if you’re manually importing dumped files.

sysdata (NAND system save data)

This includes system-related save files, such as:

  • Mii Maker data
  • config savegame (required by some games)
  • other system features

Most users will not see anything here at first.

extdata (NAND extra data)

Stores extra system data used by some applications. Optional and used only by certain games or features.

sdmc: Emulated 3DS SD Card

This folder mimics the SD card used on a real Nintendo 3DS.

Citra stores:

  • game save data
  • game extra data
  • titles installed to SD (CIA installations)

Structure:

  • sdmc/Nintendo 3DS/<ID>/<ID>/

Inside are two main folders:

title

Contains save data for your games.This is where you import save files dumped using Checkpoint or threeSD.

extdata

Contains extra data used by games (e.g., StreetPass, settings). See Dumping Extra Data from a 3DS Console for instructions.

Private:

Contains camera and microphone data. Optional and usually not needed for Citra.

sysdata (Optional System Files)

This folder may include:

  • aes_keys.txt: Used for decrypting certain data types.See AES Keys for more information
  • seeddb.bin: Used for games that rely on seed encryption.
  • shared_font.bin (Legacy): Old font dumps from early 3DS tools (no longer recommended).Citra uses an open-source font replacement if this file is missing. See Dumping System Archives and the Shared Fonts from a 3DS Console for more information.

Dumping Files From a Real 3DS

To import real system data into Citra, you can follow:

  • Dumping System Archives & Shared Fonts
  • Dumping Config Savegame
  • Dumping Save Data & Extra Data

You will need:

  • a hacked 3DS
  • Homebrew Launcher or custom firmware
  • SD card reader
  • GodMode9 or threeSD

Most users only need:

  • system archives (some games require them)
  • config savegame (rare but needed by a few titles)
  • save data (to continue progress)

Everything else is optional.